BBC2 Horror Double Bill

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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Who remembers the old BBC2 Horror Double Bills in the 70's and 80's?
Classic horror films screened every week over the Summer when I was a kid!
But where are all the old black and white Universal and RKO films on tv now? :cry:
Where are the old Hammer, Amicus and AIP horror and monster movies? They are nowhere to be found on British television and not everyone can afford to run out and buy them on dvd!
A lot of young people haven't even heard of them!

Which is why I was hoping that you guys in particular with your love and knowledge of classic British TV might be willing to join our campaign to get classic horror movies back on the BBC?
http://bringclassichorrorbacktotelevision.blogspot.com/

Or if you just want to sign the petition, here's the link:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/bringclassichorrorfilmsbacktothebbc/

I'd love it if you could share your memories of the old BBC2 Saturday night Horror Double Bills. Thanks!! :)
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Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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    Oh, and in case anyone here is interested, there is now a Facebook group to help support the campaign.

    http://bit.ly/bRgk5e

    It would be great if we can get peoples memories of watching these old classics back in the day!

    Sometimes you just can't beat a good old black and white Dracula, Frankenstein or Mummy movie on a Saturday evening!! :D
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    Yes! I recall that! In 1977, they showed the old Universal horror films from the 30s and 40s, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and various sequels. I especially enjoyed, The Wolfman. Lon Chaney Junior was brilliant as tragic, haunted Larry Talbot, cursed to become a killer werewolf during the full moon. Next year, they started showing some of the Hammer films from the 50s and 60s. Their remake of Frankenstein, with Christopher Lee as the monster, was superb. The facial make-up was marvellously grotesque, with Lee looking like a car-crash victim, with all the stitches, scar tissue and his cloudy, blind eye-and the garish colour emphasised how spectacularly horrific it was!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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    I was trying to remember which of the later colour movies I was first allowed to stay up and watch and I think it was Hammer's "Kiss of the Vampire"! I found it most scary at the time!
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    The season turned into a bit of a joke in 1980, when they showed Night of the Lepus, a US film about giant mutant carnivorous rabbits, played laughably straight. However, the year after, in 1981, they showed a film that although billed as a comedy, albeit a dark one, was a genuinely gripping horror thriller too, Theatre of Blood, with Vincent Price.
  • gothergother Posts: 14,654
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    A film i saw on bbc2 once put me of going on trains for awhile(i was only a kid) It was called Horror Express http://www.youtube.com//watch?v=IiJn0-NDexY&feature=PlayList&p=AEBB743D676998C4&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=16 if anyone fancies watching it
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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    gother wrote: »
    A film i saw on bbc2 once put me of going on trains for awhile(i was only a kid) It was called Horror Express http://www.youtube.com//watch?v=IiJn0-NDexY&feature=PlayList&p=AEBB743D676998C4&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=16 if anyone fancies watching it

    Oh wow! I totally remember Horror Express. I thought it was quite gory and really really scary!!! Wasn't Telly Savalas (Kojak) in it?

    It was kind of zombies-on-a-train meets Retro-X-Files!!
  • mike65mike65 Posts: 11,386
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    Ah them were the days, BBC2 on Friday night is still home to Brit horrors but it seems to be a bit hit and miss as to how often they get shown.

    Remember the Dr Phibes movies? Great stuff.

    I was in touch with Film24 and put it to them that the retro UK horror scene would be a good area to spend some of their increased 2010 budget and they agreed saying that Hammer were top of the list so hopefully something will come of it.
  • TabbythecatTabbythecat Posts: 33,953
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    mike65 wrote: »

    I was in touch with Film24 and put it to them that the retro UK horror scene would be a good area to spend some of their increased 2010 budget and they agreed saying that Hammer were top of the list so hopefully something will come of it.

    afaik Hammer Films were bought by Charles Saatchi now its owned by a consortium headed by Endemol (John de Mol)
    so at least they arent as awkward as Canal +

    As regards the old horror films which are highly flammable and when they were converted to videotape the quality was lost
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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    mike65 wrote: »
    Ah them were the days, BBC2 on Friday night is still home to Brit horrors but it seems to be a bit hit and miss as to how often they get shown.

    Remember the Dr Phibes movies? Great stuff.

    I was in touch with Film24 and put it to them that the retro UK horror scene would be a good area to spend some of their increased 2010 budget and they agreed saying that Hammer were top of the list so hopefully something will come of it.

    That's potentially very good news! Hopefully some documentaries on classic horror films and a season of some of the greats!
    Of course, actually reviving the Horror Double Bill season back from the dead would be the best news!
  • klytamnestraklytamnestra Posts: 1,398
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    I might be wrong, but were the films scheduled under the banner of 'Appointment with Fear'? Ive got that phrase stuck in my mind from the 70s....:confused:
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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    I might be wrong, but were the films scheduled under the banner of 'Appointment with Fear'? Ive got that phrase stuck in my mind from the 70s....:confused:

    I think "Appointment With Fear" was the name of one of the local ITV station's late night horror movie seasons on Friday nights.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,004
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    I remember the Horror Double bill very fondly indeed. My late Father and I would watch every Saturday night. I always looked forward to the second of the two as invariable the first movie was in Black & White whilst the second movie was in Colour.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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    I might be wrong, but were the films scheduled under the banner of 'Appointment with Fear'? Ive got that phrase stuck in my mind from the 70s....:confused:

    Look what I found!!!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsXRVcIU1mc
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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  • klytamnestraklytamnestra Posts: 1,398
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    Ah, well i grew up in Yorkshire so that makes sense! I cant say i remember any title sequence though!:o It was a great treat though to be allowed to stay up late for a horror film!
  • VoynichVoynich Posts: 14,481
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    Yes. It's been years since I saw 'Night of the Demon' and 'Devil Rides Out'.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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    If they brought back the Horror Double Bill on the BBC, what movies would you particularly like to see?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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    Voynich wrote: »
    Yes. It's been years since I saw 'Night of the Demon' and 'Devil Rides Out'.

    "Night of the Demon" is totally one of my favourites! Really effective and spooky.

    I'd love to see that one again, along with the early Universal monster movies like "House of Dracula" and "Bride of Frankenstein"!

    Also some of the crazier obscure B-movies like "Invasion of the Saucermen" and "The Giant Claw"! ;)
  • rolypolyman1rolypolyman1 Posts: 176
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    afaik Hammer Films were bought by Charles Saatchi now its owned by a consortium headed by Endemol (John de Mol)
    so at least they arent as awkward as Canal +

    As regards the old horror films which are highly flammable and when they were converted to videotape the quality was lost

    It's irrelevant who owns Hammer because they do not own any of their classic films.

    If what you say above is true then all they own is the Hammer name and none of the movies or tv shows


    Appointment With Fear was an umbrella title used by several ITV regions but by no means all of them for runs of horror movies.

    ITV were never as keen on film seasons like the BBC was.

    IN the 70's you had to sit through the tame B&W horror to get to the juicy Hammer of AIP movie.

    Now those films would the first one of the evening.

    Horror Express has been announced for a US Bluray .
    It's hard to get a decent version of that film so a BD is most welcome .

    The same company has bought some Hammer films from Carlton/ITV so Blurays of Vampire Circus,Twins of Evil and Hands of the Ripper are also being prepped
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 76
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    This might jog a few brain cells. Under the banner of 'Horror double bill' on the BBC:-

    THE GHOUL/NIGHT OF THE DEMON - 28/6/80
    CHAMBER OF HORRORS/THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS - 5/7/80
    DR TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS/THE MAD GHOUL - 12/7/80
    DAUGHTERS OF SATAN/THE DEVIL DOLL - 19/7/80
    THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF/FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE - 26/7/80
    PARANOIAC/CAPTAIN KRONOS-VAMPIRE HUNTER - 2/8/80
    NIGHT OF THE LEPUS/THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS - 9/8/80
    LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF/THE BAT - 16/8/80
    THE SKULL/TOWER OF LONDON - 23/8/80
    I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE/ZOLTAN-HOUND OF DRACULA - 4/7/81
    CAT PEOPLE/MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM - 11/7/81
    THE SEVENTH VICTIM/RACE WITH THE DEVIL - 18/7/81
    ISLE OF THE DEAD/THE CRAZIES - 25/7/81
    BEDLAM/BUG - 1/8/81
    THE SHUTTERED ROOM/THE LEOPARD MAN - 8/8/81
    THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE/EYE OF THE CAT - 15/8/81
    THATRE OF BLOOD/THE BODY SNATCHER - 22/8/81
    DRACULA'S DAUGHTER/SON OF FRANKENSTEIN - 23/7/83
    THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN - 30/7/83
    FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN/THE WOLFMAN - 6/8/83
    SON OF DRACULA/HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN - 13/8/83
    THE MUMMY'S HAND/THE HOUSE OF DRACULA - 20/8/83

    Don't blame me if you have nightmares!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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    I'd love a dvd of "Vampire Circus". One of my favourite Hammer horrors. A really unique concept and some sexy vampires!
    Ironically I think I originally saw it on late night ITV (probably Anglia Television) not the BBC2 Horror Double Bill season.
  • rolypolyman1rolypolyman1 Posts: 176
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    I'd love a dvd of "Vampire Circus". One of my favourite Hammer horrors. A really unique concept and some sexy vampires!
    Ironically I think I originally saw it on late night ITV (probably Anglia Television) not the BBC2 Horror Double Bill season.

    Vampire Circus was available in a 3 pack along with a couple of other films to form The Vampire Collection.

    With possibly the longest pre-credits sequence of any Hammer film (either 12 or 17 minutes IIRC) Vampire Circus was re-released by Network and IIRC has a commentary and other bonus features.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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    Vampire Circus was available in a 3 pack along with a couple of other films to form The Vampire Collection.

    With possibly the longest pre-credits sequence of any Hammer film (either 12 or 17 minutes IIRC) Vampire Circus was re-released by Network and IIRC has a commentary and other bonus features.

    Thanks! I'll have to look out for that one! :D
  • rolypolyman1rolypolyman1 Posts: 176
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    Thanks! I'll have to look out for that one! :D

    My mistake.
    No re-release but here is the original Carlton one .
    Looks like sellers have split the boxset and selling separately

    Network have re-released other Hammers like Hands of the Ripper and Countess Dracula but not VC it seems



    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vampire-Circus-Anthony-Corlan/dp/B000NIB3KU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1272400991&sr=8-1
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 467
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    My mistake.
    No re-release but here is the original Carlton one .
    Looks like sellers have split the boxset and selling separately

    Network have re-released other Hammers like Hands of the Ripper and Countess Dracula but not VC it seems



    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vampire-Circus-Anthony-Corlan/dp/B000NIB3KU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1272400991&sr=8-1

    It's mainly Vampire Circus that I want so this is good news for me!
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